Illinois Senate won't vote on limiting state worker unionizing

SPRINGFIELD --- The Illinois Senate won’t vote today on a measure pushed by Gov. Pat Quinn to limit collective bargaining rights for thousands of state workers.

The Democratic governor had hoped for a vote while legislators were in Springfield this week, but Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, said today there is not enough support for the plan. The bill was approved by the House earlier this year.

The administration had sought to limit union rights for thousands of workers under Quinn’s leadership and hundreds more working for other statewide elected officials.

The governor argued the measure was aimed at ensuring a separation between rank-and-file workers and upper managers. He pointed to situations where there is no clear leadership at some state facilities because all the workers are union members and managers can’t discipline employees under them.

But labor officials argued the bill unfairly striped workers of their union representation and said it would impact not only management but lower-level workers as well. They compared Quinn’s efforts to limit union membership to those of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, which Quinn called “completely unfair.”

Also today, Cullerton said the Senate would not act on Quinn’s appointment of former mayoral candidate Gery Chico to head the Illinois State Board of Education. The Senate was poised to confirm Quinn’s pick, but Cullerton said Republican members requested a hold until Chico can appear before lawmakers to take questions.